he
henanigans
December 20-12 Newsletter of the
The Darling Downs Irish Club Inc
PO Box 7510, Toowoomba South 4350.
(http://darlingdownsirishclub.org.au)
07 4639 8926
(Newsletter correspondence / items to [email protected] )
Pres: Derm Guerin: W) 46398999: [email protected] Sec: Ian Chase: M) 0428 835 048: [email protected]
Contents
1. Christmas.
2. Club matters &
Members’ news &
stories.
3. www.sites.

The December diary: Full
Committee –Thurs. 13th, 7.00pm;
Members’ night – NO MEMBERS” NIGHT
THIS MONTH. The next gathering of
members will be on Friday 25th January
2013: Music sessions at 7 p.m. on Tuesday
4th and 18th at 7 p.m. in the Michael Collins
Bar. On-lookers welcome.
4. News from Ireland.
5. DDIC Constitution.
6. ‘Tings “Oirish”.
7. A bit of history.
8. Derm’s words.
1. Christmas greetings from all members of your
Committee.
Members please reserve Sunday 9th
December for the Club’s Annual
Christmas Party. The craic begins at 4
pm, with music, food and fun. Children
12 years and under will receive a gift
from Santa.
Please forward names, ages and the
gender of children attending to Club
Secretary, Ian via the phone number or
e-mail address at the top of this
newsletter.
For catering purposes please hand in
numbers of adults attending as well.
Nollaig shonasach
agus athbhliain
ahuaimhneach
(Wishing you peace and happiness for Christmas and
the New Year.)
May we all have a happy and restful time with family
gathered around, and may we all gather again safely at
our club members’ night in January.
2. Club Matters & Members’ News & Stories.
 Heard at the November members’ night:
Gallagher opened the morning paper and was
dumbfounded to read in the obituary column that he had
died. He quickly phoned his best friend, Finney. “Did you
see the paper?” asked Gallagher. “They say I died!”
“Yes, I saw it,” replied Finney. “And where would you be
callin’ from?”

The planning committee has been
reformed and had a meeting on 29th of last
month. A lot of discussion went on re the
repairs to the floor in the Michael Collins Bar. A
recommendation was to go to the full
Committee. Some initial discussion also around
the members’ area being considered at the hotel.

News from the September Committee
Meeting1) Young Apexian of the year, SarahJane McDonald will be our guest speaker at the
St. Brigid’s Day luncheon on Sunday 3rd
February next year – mark it on your diary –
always an enjoyable time; 2) Ray Henry and
Phil Haxen were accepted as National Members
– Ray is keen to teach the Gaelic language to
anyone interested, whilst Phil is a member of
the Tuesday night’s music group;
3) details of the Christmas Party were
finalised – multiple ham raffle should be a real
winner. Hope you have sent in those children’s
names with adult members attending – look
forward to seeing as many as possible there. In
addition we may well be surprised by a real
live Irish Santa this year! Live music too.
4) We are looking for an entrant in the Rose of Tralee
competition for 2013. Any suggestions?? Please contact
secretary, Ian, as per the top of the newsletter: 5) the 2013
calendar was presented for final approval: 6) the
Committee approved a move to call for quotes for the
repair of the floor in the Michael Collins Bar. There was
some on-going discussion about the possibility of
developing a members’ space at the hotel.
3. WWW Sites:
www.militaryarchives.ie lists valuable witness
statements, rare photographs, as well as voice recordings
covering the years 1913 – 1921.
4. News from Ireland:
The village of Abbeyshrule Co. Longford has been
announced as the winner of the SuperValue Tidy Towns
Award for 2012. Abbeyshrule also claimed the award for
Ireland’s Tidiest Village. Clonakilty, Co. Cork, was
awarded Ireland’s Tidiest Small Town. Westport, Co.
Mayo, received the award of Ireland’s Tidiest Large
Town, and Ennis, Co. Clare, was named Ireland’s Tidiest
Large Urban Centre.
5. Know your rule:
Item 18 – Meetings of the Management Committee: 15) If
a quorum is not present within thirty (30) minutes after
the time fixed for a Management Committee meeting
called other than on the request of committee members,
the meeting is to be adjourned to – (a) the same day, time
and place in the next week; or (b) a day, time and place
decided by the committee.
6. ’Tings ‘Oirish.
 Who said this? “It was a bold man who first
swallowed an oyster. .” (The answer at the end of this newsletter.)
 This month’s Irish Blessing:
May the luck of the Irish possess you.
May the devil fly off with all your worries.
And may God bless you forever and ever.
 Irish wisdom:
A Christmas candle is a lovely thing;
It makes no noise at all.
But softly gives itself away,
While quite unselfish, it grows small.
 Oscar Wilde(1854-1900) - monthly comment:
Time is a waste of money.
 Another W. B. Yeats’ poem: “Beautiful Lofty Things.”
– an extract:
Beautiful lofty things: O’Leary’s lofty head;
My father upon the Abbey stage, before him a
raging crowd:
‘This Land of Saints,’ and then the applause died
out,
‘Of plaster Saints’; his beautiful mischievous
head thrown back.
 This Month’s Limerick:
I once took our vicar to tea;
It was just as I thought it would be;
His rumblings abdominal
Were simply phenomenal
And everyone thought it was me.
7. A bit of Irish History (Geraldine
Ireland) – continued:
The FitzGeralds of Kildare were enormously
rich and well connected, related by birth and by
marriage to a huge network of Anglo-Norman
and Gaelic families alike. The rule of Gearoid
Mor – the Great Earl – was a high-water mark
of Anglo-Norman magnate power in Ireland.
The central administration, far away over the
water in London, had not the resources or the
military means or the will to enforce direct rule.
What was unusual about the Great Earl was
not his position but the all-embracing extent of
his power.
8. Words from President Derm:
Another year nearly gone; I look forward to
catching up with you all next Sunday at our
Christmas party! Please ensure you have let us
know the names, gender & age of children you
are bringing so Santa has the correct presents,
it’s no fun seeing children disappointed!
When you own a building over 100 years old
there is always something to spend money on.
Now it’s the floors in the kitchen and bar areas
where parts are starting to rot. Our architect is
getting quotes from contractors for necessary
repairs.
Our publicans Cameron & Janita have
redecorated the old girl during the year and she
really looks good; well done!
Thanks to the Committees (old & new) for
their work during the year.
Merry Christmas to you & your family from
Lyn & I.
Diarmuid Guerin
(Answer –Jonathan Swift.)